The Wrath of Heaven
by Chatterbox Angel
Summary: Sequel to Tragedy's Silver Lining What happens when two former foes team up to become allies? Their goal is the same: vengeance for the angel. Kaitou Kuroba x Shinichi Kudo / Conan Edogawa
1. Chapter 1

The Wrath of Heaven

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaitou or any of the characters. All of them belong to Goshou Aoyama. I do, however, own the OCs and plotlines used in this fic.

Chapter 1

For the last four months, Yuusaku and Yukiko Kudo had been locked up in separate hotel rooms, being held there like prisoners. Although, they were being provided with much more comfort and decent food than true prisoners would ever receive. Still, even with the best comforts money could buy, being locked up in a small space, alone, for months on end was almost enough to drive the already kooky parents of one Shinichi Kudo crazy. Their imprisonment had been one of Yuusaku's editor's more drastic approaches to getting the next book finished by the preset deadline.

Since they were in America at the time, the first thing Yukiko had done after finally being set free was meet up with Chris Vineyard, the daughter of her deceased friend. Odd as that sounded, Chris was the one who had asked for the meeting, and since Yukiko had no reason to object, she had readily agreed. The meeting place was a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop that Yukiko had discovered a short time before her imprisonment and was eager to eat there for the first time. They met and had a nice conversation, but Chris did not mention the reason she wished to meet until right as they left the coffee shop.

"Could you please give this to your son?" Chris had asked, handing the brown-haired woman a small white envelope. "I have been wanting to send him this message for quite some time, but it is unwise for me to approach him myself."

"I don't understand," Yukiko said in a confused tone, taking the proffered envelope regardless. "But I'll do as you ask. It might be a little while though."

"I suggest you go home as quickly as possible," Chris replied. "Your son probably needs you right now. Look up the articles on Suzuki Sonoko-san's birthday party and you'll understand why." Then without another word, the young blonde who actually was the aforementioned deceased friend turned and walked away.

To say the least, Yukiko Kudo was a little confused and for some reason, a little worried. Why would Shinichi need her and her husband home so badly that Chris Vineyard would even mention it? Wasn't Ran taking good care of him like always? Had something happened to him when Ran had taken him to Sonoko's party? Either way, she would get no answers by just standing there wondering. So, she hailed a taxi, gave them the address to her hotel, and once in the lobby, she made a beeline for the internet stations. She went to a generic news search engine and typed in "Suzuki Sonoko birthday," and the first headline option that popped up made her blood run cold. After a few moments of staring terrified at the link, she hesitantly clicked on it, and a new window popped up.

_Homicide Ruins Rich Girl's Happy Birthday_

_Tragedy struck yesterday at Tropical Land when, during the birthday party of one Suzuki Sonoko, a young girl was shot and killed. The girl who died was a seventeen-year-old named Mouri Ran, reportedly young Suzuki's best friend. After the first shot was fired, an unknown individual dropped a multitude of flash bombs near a building about 500 meters away, revealing the hiding place of the murderer._

_The murderer, sixteen-year-old Kaneko Hasho, was caught trying to escape the building with the murder weapon in hand. A civilian whose name has not yet been released had called the police to inform them of the situation, and they arrived just in time to capture the murderer._

_Once apprehended and escorted down to the station, Hasho remained silent during interrogation, never speaking even to demand a lawyer. However, the police received enough information from hundreds of eyewitness testimonies to put her away for life. Those testimonies would soon become superfluous, because at six o'clock this morning, Hasho committed suicide. During the time she was by herself for less than five minutes, she pulled out a knife that had been hidden in her hair and slit her own throat._

Those three paragraphs were all it took for Yukiko to race from the lobby, past her husband's protesting editor, and straight into Hotel Room 419, the one Yuusaku was currently residing in. As she slammed the door open, the brown-haired woman came face to face with a smiling husband. In a moment of confusion, she stopped, and Yuusaku started speaking, "Hi Honey. You must have one great sixth sense. How did you know I just finished my manuscript?"

"I didn't," Yukiko replied in a huff. "I came to tell you that we're going home. Now. I don't care about this book anymore. Shinichi needs us. Ran-chan died just days after we were first isolated." Nodding, Yuusaku began packing his belongings, and Yukiko returned to her own room to pack her own. Within a matter of minutes, both of them were ready to go.

"Wait, wait!" the editor was shouting after them. "You can't leave until I have the rough draft of Kudo-san's book." He quickly caught up to them and spread his arms the span of the hallway, blocking their way to the nearest elevator.

"What do deadlines matter when my son needs his parents?" Yuusaku demanded, pushing past the editor, who had fallen into a strange sort of silence. He almost seemed afraid to speak, and realization dawned on the female Kudo.

"You knew!" Yukiko shrieked in outrage. "You knew our son's childhood friend had been killed, and you didn't tell us!"

"Well, you wouldn't have been able to do anything about it," the editor remarked. "You couldn't bring her back, and from what I hear, you're son has been missing for quite some time. He didn't even go to the funeral, and I needed the next book."

"You foul, loathsome, evil," Yukiko began saying, but apparently that was all she could get out. Her rage was making it hard for her to speak.

"Yukiko, hon, we don't have time for this. And you," Yuusaku said turning back to his editor. "I did finish the manuscript, but you won't be getting it. You're fired." With that said, the two were quickly gone from the hotel and soon boarded the first flight to Japan they could find.

When they had finally reached the house, Yukiko didn't even bother with her luggage. She raced inside the house and began a mad search for her son. She soon found him, barely registering the fact that he was fully grown again, a bit taller but still, and looking like he had just gotten out of bed, what with his messy hair even if he was already in his school uniform. Hugging him tightly to her chest, she began, "Shin-chan, I'm so sorry we took so long to get home. We came as soon as we found out. Your father's editor had been keeping us locked up in a hotel; he didn't even bother to tell us what happened. Once we found out, we came rushing back as quickly as we could. I'm so sorry that this happened Shin-chan."

"Uh," her son said an oddly awkward-sounding voice. He sounded just a tad uncomfortable to be squished up against her chest, and his voice had changed quite a bit since she last heard it. Hadn't he already gone through that part of puberty and every other part for that matter? "I'm not your son, but I'm pretty sure he appreciates the sentiment."

Confused, Yukiko pushed him backward and noticed what she hadn't at first glance. Although it was true this boy looked remarkably like her son, he wasn't. A flash of memory went off like a picture in her head, and she asked, "Kuroba Kaitou-kun?"

"The one and only," he said with a playful grin. After a small puff of his signature pink smoke, a red rose appeared in his hand. Handing it to her, he continued, "A flower for the pretty Obaa-san."

"Kaitou-kun," Yukiko said with a smile that suddenly seemed angry for some reason and a tone that seemed the slightest bit threatening. He squeaked and started backing away slowly. "What did I say about that word last time?"

"Oh, cut him some slack, Mom," a younger voice called out from behind her in a tone happier than she ever would have believed possible so soon after Ran's death. Hardly daring to believe it, Yukiko turned around and saw her still chibified son with a dazzling smile spread wide across his face.

"Shin-chan!" she screamed, hugging her true son even tighter than she had Kaitou. He looked torn between remaining silent because he was touched by the overly enthusiastic display of motherly love or saying something because she was sort of crushing him. "I'm sorry…"

"I know," Conan interrupted her with a smaller, gentler smile, this time. "I heard you the first time, and it's okay. Kaitou helped me through the rough patches. Because of him, I can truly smile again."

"Shinichi-kun," Kaitou's voice ground out through gritted teeth. His voice sounded oddly strained.

"What's wrong Kaitou-kun?" Yukiko asked, still not letting go of her son but loosening her grip a tiny bit.

"It's just-" the magician looked hesitantly over at the mini-sized detective, as though not sure he should continue on this train of thought. He didn't want to upset Conan so soon after the start of their, for lack of a better word, relationship.

"He's worried about me is all," Conan answered, wriggling out of his mother's grasp and hopping down to the ground. "If you had come home any earlier than today, I'm not sure what state you would've found me in. Up until yesterday, I was still pretty miserable." And then he proceeded to tell his parents the whole story. Katiou remained silent during the story, interested to hear it from Conan's perspective. Although he seemed calm on the outside, the magician was just a mess of knots on the inside, completely wound up and tense, anxiously awaiting the reactions of the Kudo parents. He was extremely nervous to find out what they would feel about what had happened the previous night. After all, even though the detective had an eighteen-year-old mind, he still had an eight-year-old body.

Though, he really needn't have worried too much, because the second Conan had finished telling his story, Yukiko grabbed a hold of Kaitou and started squeezing the life out of him. The normal-sized teenager merely stood there for a few minutes, confused beyond belief, before the brunette began rambling, "I'm so glad my Shin-chan finally has someone who can understand him. I was always so worried, because he's not the brightest socially. And now he's found a lover all on his own. Oh I can't wait for him to be all grown up again. You two will be soooooo cute together."

"Uh," was the oh so intelligent response that made its way out of Kaitou's mouth.

"Dear, you're overwhelming the poor boy," Yuusaku commented with a chuckle. He placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and pulled her back a bit. "Don't fret young Kuroba. That's just her way of saying she approves."

"Oh, that's good then," Kaitou let out a sigh of relief. "Anyway, we were just about to have breakfast. Would you like to join us?"

"Of course," Yukiko answered with a wide grin. "Oh and Shin-chan, I have something for you from Chris Vineyard, though I've no idea why she would need to contact you, much less through me." Pulling out the small, white envelope, she handed it to her son.

Upon hearing this news, Conan's face darkened considerable, because in his mind Vineyard equaled Vermouth. Taking a deep breath, he forced the panic pounding in his veins to calm down. He had long since suspected that woman knew his true identity, and this form of contact only confirmed it. However, due to the roundabout way of communication, he hoped he was right in believing that this was done of her own free will and not by order of the organization. With a small sigh, Conan took the envelope out of his mother's hand and said, "Before I open this, you need to know something Kaa-san. The Chris Vineyard you saw is actually the Sharon Vineyard you've known since your days as Toichi Kuroba's student. For a while, I've suspected that she has taken the medicine that shrunk me to age backwards herself. One thing I know for sure is she's part of the organization that did this to me."

"NO!" Yukiko shouted. "How can be that be true?!"

"Shh," Yuusaku shushed his wife. "Shinichi wouldn't say something like that unless he was absolutely sure it was true. We can discuss the Vineyards later. Right now, we need to know what that letter says." With a quiet sniffle, Yukiko nodded her head, and Conan opened the letter.

_The Angel's tears have stopped forever_

_The immortal child now weeps in her place_

_Return to the place of the Golden Apple_

_Four days after the rising of the fake angel_

_To become more fearsome than any sun_

_Come to me, my miniature silver bullet_

A/N: Okay, so I know I said this was going to be a one-shot, but that didn't really work out as planned. I hope you enjoyed Chapter 1 of The Wrath of Heaven, also known as the sequel to Tragedy's Silver Lining. That first one was supposed to be a one-shot too, and we all know how that turned out.

Something that I'm not sure I've mentioned before. We all know that Conan Edogawa and Shinchi Kudo are the same person. When I write, no matter what state of mind Shinichi/Conan is in (meaning whether he's displaying a more child-like or a more mature personality), I always refer to him in the same way. In his shrunken form, he is Conan, and in his true/fully-grown form, he is Shinichi.

For those of you who were wondering, the promised prize of naming my OCs in this fic went to bart4nat and nataeiy1. Now as requested, the three quotes that wouldn't leave my head and were what that first fic was based of off.

1. Kaitou Kid: _She died so you could live, Tantei-kun._

2. Conan: _He's what They took from you, isn't he?_

3. Kaitou Kuroba: _So, you see Shinichi-kun? You're not death, you're hope._

I love reviewers, but I do have a request. I would really love for someone to seriously critique my work. It doesn't have to stop at constructive criticism. I'd love for someone to really pick apart my work and tell me every little thing they hated, what needs to be improved, and what parts of my writing they liked best. Believe me when I say I love all reviews, and it's really nice to know people appreciate my work. However, I'm a far cry from being perfect, and there's always room to improve. Also, if I can get better, I can give better fan fiction to my readers. Anyway, thanks again for reading this fan fiction and hopefully you seriously considered my request.


	2. Chapter 2

The Wrath of Heaven

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaitou or any of the characters. All of them belong to Goshou Aoyama. I do, however, own the OCs and plotlines used in this fic.

Chapter 2

"Well, don't keep us in suspense, Shin-chan," Yukiko said after having finished reading the note over her son's shoulder. "What does it really say?"

"Oddly enough, what's written here are exact directions, there's no real double meaning," Conan's voice sounded like it was fighting back from laughing at a bad joke. However, there was a deep frown present in his feature. "All you really have to do is take into account the first and only time Sharon Vineyard and I have met face to face with our true faces. _The Angel's tears have stopped forever. _Angel is Sharon's name for Ran. That line just means that she knows of Ran's death. _The immortal child now weeps in her place. _Sharon refers to herself as the immortal child, because she doesn't age. Basically, Sharon is mourning Ran's death. _Return to the place of the Golden Apple. _Go to the theatre in New York where the play _The Golden Apple _was shown. _Four days after the rising of the fake angel. _Meet here there four days after the date at the exact time of Heath Flockhart's death. He was the actor who played the archangel Michael."

"You're right," Yukiko responded, thinking back to the time she had insisted that Ran and Shinichi come visit her in New York a few years back. "That is pretty straight forward."

"But that line doesn't make sense," Kaitou said. "I get the fake angel part, if he was just acting as an angel. But what about the word 'rising'?"

"You would have to see the play to understand that part," Yukiko answered with a smile. "At the end of the play when his true identity as Michael was revealed, Heath was lifted up by wire to make it look like he was flying. He rose straight into the air, hence the rising."

"What I don't understand is why she worded the fifth line like she did," Conan commented. "_To become more fearsome than any sun._ Paired with _Come to me, my miniature silver bullet, _she's basically telling me she wants to help me take down the Black Organization. She once told me that they've always feared meeting a 'silver bullet,' someone who could take down their entire organization in one shot. Apparently, I'm that someone, but the organization has no fear for the sun or day. They've committed plenty of their crimes and murders during the day. They just move around more at night."

"Actually, the wording makes perfect sense to me," Kaitou said with a grin. "Maybe I understand better because I'm a phantom thief. Like Kid, the one thing this Black Organization fears most is not capture but the bright light of exposure. And there's no brighter light in this world than the sun."

Now this admission by Kaitou that he was Kid was met with no more reaction than confirming acknowledgement. Both Yuusaku and Yukiko had known the identity of the first Kaitou Kid and had not so long ago been informed of the identity of the second by a mother concerned about the night life of her son.

"If you say so," Conan replied with a shrug. The wording wasn't really all that important anyway. "Anyway, Heath died on March 9th at 7:30 pm. Today is March 4th, which means I need to be in New York a week from Saturday. Okaa-san, could you please find out how much it would cost to fly one adult and two children from here to New York?"

Yukiko Kudo easily agreed to this request and had already taken a few steps toward her luggage, intent on unpacking, before her brain fully processed those words. The amount of children and adult tickets her son requested was the opposite of what it should have been. That meant Conan was planning on going to New York without them. Stopping her footsteps, the brown-haired woman turned back toward her son and asked, "Who do you plan on going to New York with?"

"Haibara and Agasa-hakase," Conan told her with a tone that made it obvious that his decision was final. "That is, if they agree."

"Why?" Yukiko asked with strained casualness, fighting the panic that had begun rising up inside her. Because eccentric as she was, Yukiko was still Conan's mother. The Black Organization had already attempted and almost succeeded in ending her son's life multiple times. She didn't want Conan to walk right into a meeting with one of its members without her protection, regardless of whether or not that meeting was with one of her old friends."

"It would be suspicious if we left with Shinichi to return to the US right after returning to Japan," Yuusaku answered her question before Conan could get out a single word. It reminded the bespectacled boy of all those times his father had interrupted his deductions at the last minute to steal the thunder. Haibara had once told Conan he got the boastful arrogance shown during his deductions from his mother. Watching his father, Conan couldn't help but think he got it from both his parents. The miniature detective could easily see that Yuusaku was far less worried about this trip than Yukiko. Probably because Yuusaku could calmly think about the situation while Yukiko was overcome with motherly worry.

"On the other hand, if Agasa leaves for America with his two adopted children soon after we return home, it seems like we came home to house-sit for them while they're on a family vacation," Yuusaku continued to speak. "We already know that the organization suspects that Shinichi isn't really dead and is merely hiding. Let's not give them any reasons to connect Shinichi Kudo with Conan Edogawa."

"But," Yukiko began again, about to protest she could disguise one of them as Agasa. Of course, there was no doubt in her mind that the one going disguised would be herself.

"Okaa-san, I'll be fine," Conan said, taking a hold of his mother's hand and squeezing it with gentle reassurance. "Trust me, and trust your old friend. She doesn't want to hurt me." Then, he paused with slightly glazed eyes as a memory that had, during its moment of life, seemed insignificant now carried much weight. "Someone who knows exactly what atrocities Sharon Vineyard is capable of as Vermouth once asked if she was really such a bad person, because Sharon Vineyard as someone else was capable of great kindness. Right now, I'm considering the possibilities. Besides, you loved her right?" Silence reigned for a few moments and the small, sad smile that mad its way onto his mother's face told Conan all he needed to know.

* * *

"VERMOUTH!!" an angry man dressed in all black shouted as he burst into a room. The door slammed open against the wall with a loud crash. He was about to march further into the room but changed paths at the last second to drop to the ground, dodging whatever had just shot through the air where his head had been. Spinning around as he stood up, the man discovered that a bright red dart had embedded itself in the wall across the hall. "Are you trying to kill me, you crazy bitch?"

"That was your own fault," Sharon Vineyard replied calmly as she strode past him to retrieve her dart. "You fit quite well into the category of unexpected visitors, Snake."

"Did you really think I wouldn't come after what you did?" Snake growled out. Slamming the door shut, he followed behind the blonde-haired woman and took a seat near her. "You stole all my personnel files."

"True, that's why I expected you to come much sooner," she answered with a smirk.

"If you weren't his favorite," Snake started in a threatening tone, but he quickly ended that train of thought. "For what reasons did you take them when you are neither part of the Pandora Branch or currently on any mission for the organization? You're on vacation from both of your jobs for crysake?"

"Yes, I've had free time," Sharon said. "And I've noticed that you haven't been very successful as of late. One of your problems is that you send out random minions to Kid heists. Anyway, I've looked over your people, and I suggest sending these two to the next heist." She picked up two files off the table and threw them at Snake.

"Kitten and Dolphin…why them?" he asked.

"Their aim rivals that of my recently deceased Zinfandel," she commented. "They may be able to take Kid down. You don't have to follow my advice, but you yourself mentioned that I'm the boss's favorite. There is a good reason for that." Her tone made it obvious that this conversation was over and that it was time for him to leave. Grumbling about infuriating women, Snake indeed got up from his chair and marched out of the room, but tucked under his arm, two personnel files went with him.

* * *

"Okay, time for you two to go to school," Yukiko said after everyone had finished their breakfast. "We'll finish discussing details after you come home and have spoken with the professor. Bye."

"Bye," the two boys chorused as they headed out the front door. However before they reached the front gate, they stopped to share a moment together. Because once they left the Kudo estate, they entered a different world, one where they couldn't show their true feelings for one another. Bending over, Kaitou picked up the shrunken detective and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. With a grin, the magician whispered into the bespectacled boy's ear, "I love you, Shinichi-kun."

"I know," Conan replied with a warm smile, wrapping his arms around Kaitou's neck to what extent he could. And they stayed like that until a young girl's high-pitched voice called out for Conan. Kaitou set down the boy he loved and watched him walk away with a smile, fully unaware of Vermouth's true plans and intentions.

A/N: Finished! I have successfully completed another chapter of The Wrath of Heaven. I hope you enjoyed it even though it wasn't as long as the first chapter. Sadly, I'm having more trouble writing the sequel than the first one, because nothing about the plotline is really set in stone like it was in Tragedy's Silver Lining. Back then, I knew the beginning, middle, and ending; all I had to do was hammer out the minor details. Now, I've got about 100 different plotline paths to choose from, and once I've decided on one, a new one I like better usually pops up in my mind. So, I'm sorry if the updates take a little longer. But have no fear, I will get them out as quickly as I can, and rest assured, that they will come.

I love reviewers, but I do have a request. I would really love for someone to seriously critique my work. It doesn't have to stop at constructive criticism. I'd love for someone to really pick apart my work and tell me every little thing they hated, what needs to be improved, and what parts of my writing they liked best. Believe me when I say I love all reviews, and it's really nice to know people appreciate my work. However, I'm a far cry from being perfect, and there's always room to improve. Also, if I can get better, I can give better fan fiction to my readers. Anyway, thanks again for reading this fan fiction and hopefully you seriously considered my request.


	3. Chapter 3

The Wrath of Heaven

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaitou or any of the characters. All of them belong to Goshou Aoyama. I do, however, own the OCs and plotlines used in this fic.

Chapter 3

It was later that day, after school was out and the two not-children had returned home to Agasa's house before Conan even broached the subject of New York. He had sat down Ai and the professor to explain the situation before requesting their help.

"I'll do whatever I can to help you, Shinichi, you know that," the professor said after processing the information he had just received for a few minutes. "But isn't going to New York just a tad more dangerous than all the other moves you've taken against the Black Organization thus far?"

"This isn't just a tad dangerous," Ai growled out through half-clenched teeth. "If we take Vermouth up on her offer, we might as well march right on up to Gin and tell him about the alternate side-effects APTX4869 and our true identities. Kudo, what is going on in that brain of yours? What reasons could you possible have to think this trip would have even the slightest percent chance of safety?"

"We're still alive," Conan answered her in a serious tone, but his eyes were bright with excitement. The shrunken girl visibly tensed when she saw just how bright they were. That light in his eyes was the one that always shone when the rare opportunity of just maybe making headway in their fight against the Black Organization appeared. She was beginning to become very wary whenever she saw that light in the shrunken detective's eyes.

"Yes, we are," Ai commented with no little amount of trepidation in her voice. Trepidation that Conan either ignored or was too single-minded to hear and comprehend. "What does that prove?"

"Sharon Vineyard knows that Conan Edogawa is the same person as Shinichi Kudo and that Ai Haibara is Shiho Miyano, and we are still alive," Conan's tone burned with pleading, insistence, and persistence simultaneously. "If she wanted us dead, we would've been dead a long time ago. She could have just ordered a hit out on us; she need not have taken the trouble of contacting me through my mother."

"Have you ever stopped to think that her way of contact was not to show that she is on your side but a threat to your family from the organization?" Ai's tone became more harsh, her mouth was narrowed in a very thin line, and her eyes hardened in a frustrated glare. "Why are you always so eager to rush head-first into very possibly lethal situations?"

"Look," Conan began to say as the lights in his eyes began to dim and were replaced by a desperation the not-girl couldn't recognize. "Weighing in the fact that this might be a trap, we cannot afford to not go just because we fear that single possibility. If she truly wishes to help us, we must go secure her status as our ally."

"The potential risks far surpass the potential benefits," Ai responded, her voice rising with every word she spoke. She was almost shouting by the time she was done. "I know you, Kudo. I know you don't like asking this, that you would go alone were it possible. You'd rather I didn't know about this lead at all. And I know you would do your best to escape from our presence to go to this meeting by yourself. So I ask you this, why the hell are so determined to go to New York and to risk your own life?"

"SO NOONE ELSE HAS TO!" the miniature detective, finally losing his cool, shouted this in a voice more than twice as loud as Ai's had been on her last word. His outburst caused Ai to flinch back in wide-eyed surprise. "I'm tired of putting the people I care about in danger. If this really is a threat to my family, that's all the more reason why I can't not go. And as much as I don't like it, if this is a secret meeting, the safest guise to travel to New York in would obviously be with you two, as a family. Since tomorrow is the last day of school, it's the supposedly perfect time to go on a vacation."

"You should have just said so in the first place. We'll go," Haibara said in a gentle tone, giving the not-boy's hand a gentle squeeze. Her glare had softened in a sympathetic gaze before suddenly morphing into a mischievous smirk that scared Conan almost as much the Black Org. itself. "But you're the one who gets to tell the Shounen Tanteidan that we are going to America without them."

"Agh," the annoyed sound ripped from Conan's throat before he could stop it. His sudden expression of melancholy caused a giggle to escape from Ai. "As if it wasn't bad enough telling my mom that she can't come, I still have to convince Kaitou to not do anything as Kid while we're gone. Thanks for the lovely addition of the wrath of three very hyperactive children."

"You're welcome," Ai said with a smile that looked like, to anyone who did not know her, an ordinary, happy, playful little girl smile. Conan knew better, that it was both a knowing smirk and an unexpected apology.

* * *

The next morning dawned a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining. Birds were chirping. Flowers were blooming. Clouds were floating slowly across the sky on no particularly predetermined path. Most people were content to enjoy this inevitably pleasant morning except for one certain bespectacled miniature detective. He had woken up with a deep scowl on his face and wandered down to breakfast without bothering to change his expression.

"What's the matter, Shinichi-kun?" Agasa asked, genuine concern etched in his own expression.

"Nothing for him to be so sulky about and grumpy about," Ai answered with a wide smirk before Conan could even begin to open his mouth. With a shrug, he sat down and began eating. "He's just pouting, because I told him he has to tell Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta about our trip to New York. After all of our shared camping trips, they're not going to be very happy about not being able to come, especially since we're leaving the country."

"Well of course they can't come!" Agasa pointed out. "It's far too dangerous, and this is supposed to look like a family vacation. Besides, I could never afford to take the three of them as well."

"Actually we could afford to take them," Conan replied. "Because my parents are the ones paying for everything, but that's not the problem. I'm worried about my upcoming conversation with Kaitou."

"Why…?" Haibara started to ask, but she was interrupted by the sound of a ringing doorbell.

Heaving a sigh, Conan grabbed the piece of toast off his plate and got up to answer the door. Plastering a fake smile onto his face, the shrunken detective opened the door to see Genta, Ayumi, and Mitsuhiko waiting rather impatiently behind Agasa's front gate. Picking up his backpack, Conan strolled into the outside world, knowing that Ai wasn't far behind him.

* * *

After school as the five elementary school students were walking home, Ayumi excitedly asked the dreaded question when they were mere blocks from Agasa's house, "What's everyone doing during the next few weeks?"

"We're going to the beach!" Mitsuhiko exclaimed proudly, though why he was proud of this fact Conan could not fathom.

"I bet you and your family will have lots of fun," the shrunken detective replied, fishing for information he already knew he would not want.

"What are you talking about?" the science-lover asked. "By we, I of course meant us, the Shounen Tanteidan. I've got it all planned out. My older sister is going there with her boyfriend, and it just so happens that his mini-van sits seven people. So, while they're busy with their boring, adult, mushy stuff, we can have fun!" Mitsuhiko's face (and Ayumi's and Genta's) was glowing with excitement, and because of this, Conan couldn't help but let out a groan. A few feet away from him, Ai was valiantly (and unsuccessfully) trying to hold in her laughter.

"What's wrong Conan-kun?" Ayumi asked. "Beaches are really fun. You can swim in the water, make sand castles, play beach ball…"

"We're not going to the beach," the bespectacled boy interrupted her before she could go any further.

"Why not?" Ayumi asked in confusion stopping, now that they were in front of the gate, and cocking her head to the side. "Is there somewhere else you wanted to go?"

"Ai and I are going to America," Conan answered, and before the three children's faces could become alight with even more excitement, he quickly added, "Without you."

"But why?" Genta, Mitsuhiko, and Ayumi asked simultaneously, fake tears welling up in their eyes. Yes, all three of them had become quite adept at crying on command. Holding up his hands as some semblance of a barrier, the shrunken boy began backing away from them slowly, not liking their tears even when he knew they were fake.

"Yes, why?" Kaitou asked appearing in a puff of pink smoke, startling everyone but his new boyfriend. "Besides the obvious reason of how extremely expensive it would be."

"Because this is supposed to be a family trip," Conan stated with a tone of finality that no one would be able to argue with. Then, he added just an ounce of sadness to his voice as he continued, "Agasa-hakase thought it would be a good idea to go to help keep my mind off…you know things. Anyway, Ai and I need to pack, we're leaving tomorrow morning."

"Oh," Ayumi was the first to find her voice after a long period of silence. "We'll just see you when you get back then. Bye." Without hesitation, she grabbed both Genta's and Mitsuhiko's arms and dragged them away.

"Since when did you call me Ai?" the shrunken brown-haired girl asked with a smirk once the three children were out of sight.

"Shut up," Conan growled as he copied a certain little girl by grabbing Kaitou's hand and dragging him toward the Kudo mansion. Looking back to see Ai opening the gate, he continued, "I'll see you in a while."

"Have fun," Ai replied in her annoying singsong voice.

Once inside the Kudo mansion, Kaitou shut the door behind him, having taken the initiative to hold Conan in his arms once again. With a smile on his face, he trapezed over to the nearest couch and sat down. Using the Kid version of a playful, teasing tone, the phantom thief asked, "So, Tantei-kun, what's the reason for all this secluded privacy? Were you planning to take advantage of me?"

"Kaitou, we need to talk," Conan sa in a weary tone with a heavy sigh, and in an instant, all the color drained out of the taller boy's face; his entire body tensed up. For a moment, Kaitou seemed to be gasping, as though he was having trouble breathing. His eyes began to look a little watery but seemed oddly blank. Panic and alarm were the only emotions portrayed in his expression. Years spent perfecting his poker face was the only thing keeping fear, anxiety, worry, and desperation from showing on his facial features. Because those four words were the worst four words Kaitou had ever heard in his entire life. Even worse than the four he had heard at the young, tender age of eight, "Your father is dead."

"Don't say it," his voice was barely above a whisper. He squeezed the small not-boy in his arms as tight as possible. "Please, don't say it. I just got you back from her. Don't take yourself away from me again. I love you, Shinichi."

"You idiot," Conan said, shaking his little head and reaching a small hand up to pat Kaitou's larger head. His other arm wrapped itself around Kaitou's neck as he placed a small kiss on Kaitou's cheek, which caused all the tension to mystically evaporate from the thief's body. "Despite all logic, I love you too. What I wanted to talk to you about was the trip to New York."

"Oh," Kaitou asked, having the grace to look at least a little bit sheepish. "What about it?"

"While I'm gone, I want you to promise me," Conan took a deep breath and paused. He was hesitating, not because he was worried about Kaitou's reaction but because he was asking Kaitou to give up a lot. After a minute of silence, he continued on. "I want you to promise me that you won't send out any notices or do any Kaitou Kid heists."

"Why?" the phantom thief asked in a serious tone, devoid of anything resemebling agreement or declination.

"Beyond the fact that I'll be beyond worried about you at a heist while I'm not there, I just have really bad feeling is all," Conan answered, pure honesty resonating in his pitch. The taller boy was silent for several minutes as he seemingly mulled over the request when in all actuality he had already known what the answer was the second Conan had asked to be promised something.

"Okay," Kaitou responded, watching as the bespectacled detective let out a giant sigh of relief. "I promise you that I won't act as Kaitou Kid at all until you return from your trip."

"Thank you," Conan replied fervent gratitude apparent in his voice.

"I always aim to keep my audience pleased."

The next day was hectic as Agasa and his two adopted children prepared to leave on a trip that was planned no more than two days in advanced. They almost missed their first flight that left at six in the morning and had to make a mad dash through LAX at one of the busiest times of day, not getting a chance to eat a decent meal after they had refused to partake of horrible airplane food. After landing in New York City, they were finally able to slow down a bit. It was eight o'clock at night, and since the hotel they had reservations had a clerk on desk 24/7, a decent dinner was the first order of business.

Ai, Conan, and the professor spent the next six days doing touristy, family things. They rode around New York in a rented car, visited famous, museums, restaurants, etc, and most importantly, went to see a play at a different theatre every other day. However, when Saturday, March 13 finally rolled around, they took their first rip to the theatre that was showing its yearly memorial performance of the Golden Apple. Not sure what else to do, the three of them bought tickets and went into watch the show. A few very uneventful hours later, they left all sharing the mutual feeling of disappointed exasperation. Walking to the nearest trash can intent on throwing away his ticket, the shrunken detective almost made the worst mistake of his second childhood life just before noticing there was writing on the back of his ticket. Curious, he pulled away from the garbage bin, held the ticket in his hands much more firmly, and began to read.

_A tisket, a tasket_

_My green and yellow basket_

_Follow the Lady_

_Find the theme_

_Bathed in one_

_Holding the other_

_The crown is the key_

_right 16 Below_

A/N: And so we come to the end of yet another marvelous chapter of The Wrath of Heaven. This one being chapter 3. Well, as always, I hope you enjoyed this doozy of a chapter. 2630 words! This latest fit of inspiration kept me up until 2 AM on a school night / morning. But I've been missing my muse for far too long, and I decided to make use of her while she was still here. Anyway, Kudos to you if you can figure out the note. I think it's kind of obvious, but oh well. And, as always…

I love reviewers, but I do have a request. I would really love for someone to seriously critique my work. It doesn't have to stop at constructive criticism. I'd love for someone to really pick apart my work and tell me every little thing they hated, what needs to be improved, and what parts of my writing they liked best. Believe me when I say I love all reviews, and it's really nice to know people appreciate my work. However, I'm a far cry from being perfect, and there's always room to improve. Also, if I can get better, I can give better fan fiction to my readers. Anyway, thanks again for reading this fan fiction and hopefully you seriously considered my request.


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